Report reveals South Jersey Home to New Jersey’s Oldest Populations

The latest data from the United States Census Bureau reveals that while the average age of New Jersey residents is 40 years, this is one year older than the rest of the United States' median age (39).

Out of the 21 counties in New Jersey, ten of them have significantly higher percentages of their population that are Senior Citizens compared to the rest of the state. Four of those counties are in South Jersey.

What You Need To Know About These South Jersey Counties

The southernmost county in New Jersey has the oldest Median Age in the state. Cape May County's average age is now 52.7 years old, and approximately one out of every three CMC residents is 65 or older.

Cape May County's overall population has decreased by 7.5 percent since 2000, and it is the only New Jersey county that has seen a significant population decrease since 2020. The Garden State's southernmost county has lost almost 10,000 "Young People" (18 to 34 years old) who have left the area over the last 25 years.

Right behind Cape May County, with a Median Age of 42.6 years old, is Atlantic County. Next on the list with a Median Age of 41.4 Years old, Ocean County has 23 percent who are age 65 or older.

Here Are The Top Ten Counties With the Highest Percentage Of The Population that are Senior Citizens (65 or older):

1. Cape May County: 30.6%
2. Ocean County: 23%
3. Hunterdon County: 21.7%
4. Atlantic County: 20.6%
5. Warren County: 20.3%
6. Monmouth County: 19.8%
7. Salem County: 19.5%
8. Sussex County: 19.4%
9. Burlington County: 18.8%
10. Bergen County: 18.7%

I have lived in Cape May County for over half my life, and these are some of my favorite reasons for living in New Jersey's southernmost county: